


The Miracle of a Mixtape

by Riverchester



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Dean's Top 13 Zepp Traxx Mixtape, Love Confessions, M/M, Michael Possessing Dean Winchester, Post-Episode: s13e23 Let the Good Times Roll, Post-Season/Series 13, Profound Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-16 00:35:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16074677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riverchester/pseuds/Riverchester
Summary: "Where words fail, music speaks" (Hans Christian Andersen)How to find a force powerful enough to pierce through an archangel's tight grip and rescue the man you love? Castiel doesn't give up on Dean, no matter how high the chances are to fail. And if his words aren't enough to bring the hunter back to him, well, then he will have to make use of something else that will surely cut through the possession.A little scenario for after the events of s13e23





	The Miracle of a Mixtape

**Author's Note:**

> So, this one-shot exploded in my brain during a conversation with the lovely elisa_anya about THE MIXTAPE and it didn't let go of me until I finished writing it. And it didn't let go of me even after everything was gone again because I was stupid and typed it in the ao3 editor (instead of a desktop program, which I USUALLY use) without saving it. Anyway, enough of my incompetence...
> 
> I hope you like it and enjoy reading it <3<3 A beautiful Sunday (or whatever day you have at your place when you read it) to everyone!

Sam paces up and down in front of the open door, his footsteps echoing through the hallway, and Jack leans against the wall, his eyes closed. Cas sits on the cold floor and stares ahead, through the open door and at the figure sitting there, chained to a chair and surrounded by the lit circle of holy oil. They reached a dead end. The bunker's archives provide them with a seemingly infinite supply of ways to expel a demon from a human body through exorcisms, spells, or sometimes even more physical approaches, but the resources on how to get rid of an archangel unwantedly housing in a vessel are rare, so they had to come up with creative and rather improvised methods to provoke Michael to leave Dean's body. They captured the alternate universe leader of the angels by stealth and with great effort, leaving the remaining members of Team Free Will and their small army of apocalypse world fighters and friends exhausted and, unfortunately, also depleted. Mary, Charlie, and Rowena are busy with healing and pastoring those who survived the mission while Bobby took the task to reorganize their forces for whatever lies ahead if they do or don't succeed at the attempt to separate Dean and Michael.

"Nothing works," Sam says and punches the wall angrily, " _nothing._ We have no idea how long these chains will hold him and we didn't bring Dean to the surface  _once._ "

"Maybe if we try that thing again," Jack answers, holding up a metal device, "I know we don't have the king of hell here to help us, but if we just go a little further and deeper, then maybe -",

"No!" Cas interrupts the Nephilim. He doesn't tear his eyes away from Dean's body; it's like a nightmare, a déjà vu, and he can't wake up. But no matter how pointless it seems, no matter how long it'll take, he will not give up, and he will not allow any of that torture anymore.

"It worked on me when Gadreel possessed my body," Sam whispers to Jack, side-eyeing the silhouette of Cas clutching to his knees, "but this is Michael, and he's got his true vessel. I don't think that even with the help of Crowley we would succeed to -"

"Stop it!" Again, the angel interrupts the other men.

Sam sinks down next to him and so does Jack on his other side. They stay like this for a moment, all three just staring at Michael, who stares back at them with a confident and superior smile on his face. The archangel looks calm and serene, like nothing of this even matters to him and he just patiently waits for the moment he escapes his prison.

"Cas, I know you don't want to hear this but... what if we can't save him?"

The angel shakes his head. "We can, and we will. We just have to find a way."

Sam turns his head to the side and looks at his friend. "Can we? We exhausted the possibilities. We didn't have anything to go by in the first place, but now we've come to random guessing and I doubt it'll do any good. These chains and holy oil hold him now, but they won't hold him forever. And then?"

"I don't care."

The hunter sighs. "Yes, you do. And Dean did, he does. He wouldn't want us to bring another apocalypse over the world if we had a chance to end it, right here, right now."

"No, no, no, no," Cas whispers and shakes his head. He doesn't want to hear anything about the possibility, the fact, or the necessity of how this is going to end.

"I'm not at my full power," Jack throws in and looks at his father figure, "I don't know if it'll ever come back completely. I can't cast Michael out of Dean, but we've got the archangel blade and maybe if I use it we could -"

"No!" Cas yells and jumps up. His voice echoes through the hallway and the effort to contain all the anger and fear and desperation cause his body to shake. "Do you even listen to yourself? You want to  _kill_ Dean, after everything he's done for you? Sam, did he ever give up on trying to save you? Damnit, he only said yes to this asshole to rescue you two! And you just want to... I can't believe that you actually..."

Sam jumps up and stands in front of Cas angrily. "Just? You think I  _just_ want to lose my brother? Want to kill him?" he shoves Cas who bangs against the brick wall. "This is the last thing on earth that I want. But what am I supposed to do? Billions of people could die when Michael escapes from here. Dean wouldn't want that to happen." A tear runs down Sam's face, out of anger, frustration, and the slow realization that all his hoping might not help at all. "And we don't even know what Michael did to his mind, if he would even come back as himself or -"

"No!" this time Cas shoves back and starts to walk up and down in front of the door, shaking his head. "No, don't say that. He's still there, I know it. I  _feel_ it. And he's strong, Sam, he can do it. Like you overpowered Lucifer, even if just for a moment, he can do it too."

"I want to believe that's true, but we didn't see a hint of Dean. Not once."

"Stop it!" Cas goes livid. He looks into the dungeon and at the man sitting there in chains, he sees the hair, the face, the eyes... and everything inside of him screams that this is Dean, but the unfamiliar smile that tucks at the other man's lips reminds him that Michael has control over the body of his best friend. "I will show you," the angel says, turned to Sam again. "I will prove to you that he's still in there." With that, he walks into the dungeon with long steps, followed by Sam and Jack who call out to him, and stopping only an inch away from the fire of the holy oil circle.

"Dean," he says, looking straight into the other man's eyes, "I know you're there. Please, I need you to show me." But other than the emotionless expression of Michael's complete indifference, he gets no answer, not even a tiny hint that hunter listens. "Please, Dean, I know you're strong and you're fighting, and I want to help you but you've got to show me you're there."

Sam steps closer from behind and rests a hand on the angel's shoulder. "Cas, we tried that already. It didn't work."

But Cas doesn't want to listen and shakes off his friend's hand. "Shut up! Shut up, Sam! I know he's there, and I will prove it to you." He can see how much the younger Winchester is hurting, how much he tries to be the strong one for Jack and for him too. But Castiel can't appreciate Sam's sacrifices because he has to keep believing there is a chance.

"Oh, Castiel, it's pointless." The angel turns around to see Michael staring up at him.

"I'm not talking to you," he says with anger, "Come on, Dean. You have to be strong now. Please, show me you're there."

Michael sighs. "He can't hear you. The walls surrounding his consciousness are high and thick, and he's quite happy behind them. You know, at first he struggled and he fought and he begged, but in the end, it was easier than I thought it would be to silence him."

Castiel clenches his fists. "What did you do to him?" he yells, almost forgetting where he is and what he's doing, and only Sam's hand on his shoulder keeps him from crossing the circle of holy oil.

"Don't worry, I didn't harm him," Michael says, no emotions showing on the face he controls. "Quite the opposite, actually. All this guilt and hurting and self-loathing, I freed him from these weak and  _human_ emotions. He's happy now, and peaceful. No more worrying about his brother's well-being, no more sacrificing for this filthy world. No more doubts and sorrow, just pure, heavenly bliss."

Cas can't take it anymore and sinks to the ground, even closer to the fire now. A tear runs down his cheek and fills his mouth with a salty taste, his lips, chapped from hour-long biting, tremble, and his whole body shakes with the need and the urge to do something,  _anything_ , to bring Dean back. "Please," he whispers, "Dean, I know you can hear me. You have to. It can't end like this. Tell me what to do."

The angel wishes he could rescue him, just like he flew into the fiery pit all those years ago to escape with the shattered pieces of the Righteous Man, could piece him back together and heal all the wounds that were left from the torture in hell. He would give everything to at least have a chance to do it now. Whatever needed, he would do it to rescue Dean.

"I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition, right? Remember, Dean? Oh, please, you've got to remember," he says, although it sounds more like sobbing, and Castiel doesn't care for a single moment about the sardonic indifference Michael shows him or Sam and Jack calling out to him from behind, because his center of attention lies completely on those big green eyes that he hopes to represent the gates to the walls where Dean hides. "Look at me, Dean, look at me. You can fight him, I know you can, I believe in you." No reaction.

"I was proud and felt superior, but you brought me down to earth, literally and figuratively, and it's the best thing that ever happened to me. In all of eternity, I never imagined that being part of this family would be everything I ever needed. And you gave it to me. Please, Dean, I can't lose you now. We've been through too much as that it ends just here." Nothing.

Anger boils up in Castiel again and he shifts closer, the heat from the lit holy oil now burning on his skin, but he doesn't care. "Heaven, hell, purgatory, Naomi's mind control and not even the empty could keep us apart. Don't let him win, Dean. Don't let me lose you now. Not after everything we've been through." Still no reaction from Dean, only Michael's slightly amused face looking at him.

The emotions get too strong, the overpowering fear and desperation get a hold of him and Cas stands up. He stands up with his fists clenched, his teeth pressed together and his eyes filled with tears. It feels like the rug has been pulled from under his feet and all the air punched from his lungs. He doesn't need the oxygen to survive, but right now, Cas wishes he would. Without a thought, Cas steps forward, not caring about Sam and Jack behind him shouting in alarm, not even caring about the burn and the pain that the holy oil causes to his body. He wouldn't have been able to cross the line, not even with great effort, if his grace wasn't weakened, and now he looks down at a surprised Michael from only inches away.

"Speak to me, Dean," he says, breathing heavily after walking through the ring of fire. Castiel kneels down and rests his hand on the hunter's shoulder, right where he once left an imprint of his hand, the mark of their bond. Another tear runs down his face, taking the same path as so many others already this day. "Please," he whispers and closes his eyes.

"So this is what being around humans got you to be." When Cas looks up, Michael shows an arrogant dominance that makes Castiel sick to see on Dean's face. "I've known you as a strong fighter for our heavenly mission, a mighty soldier and great missionary. A powerful torturer. And yes, you've always been a rebellious one, but this? Look at what shame and disgrace you brought on yourself. Needy and faithless, and submissive to a human. Cheating and betraying and  _killing_ your brothers and sisters, all to serve one man. You became disgustingly human, Castiel. This universe is even filthier than the one I came from."

The trench-coated angel jumps up. He trembles, shakes, shivers; his body and grace are exhausted and it gets harder every minute to contain himself. "All of your celestial dignity, your arrogance and pretended superiority, your power and grace and armies... I've seen it, but in all of eternity, nothing struck me more than the will and the spirit and the  _beauty_ of humanity. You claim to be so much better than them, but you're not. Our father was right, we, the angels, were only a first try, grace was only a first try. It's powerful and destructive, but nothing compared to a human soul. And Dean..." he stops for a moment, a heavy lump in his throat, and thinks back to the moment he first laid eyes on the hunter in hell. "Dean's soul is the most bright and mighty I've ever seen. The love that powers him is stronger than any other force in the universe. You're not worthy to have him, and you will not succeed. He's stronger, I know it," Cas looks deep in Dean's eyes now and speaks directly to him, hoping that the hunter can hear him. "Dean, you're strong enough, I know it. Please. Don't give up. Fight him." But in the silence that follows his little speech, not a twitch, or jerk or breath indicates that any of that reached his beloved friend, the man who offered him everything and sacrificed himself for his love-ones, the man who made him fall from heaven and showed him the strength of empathy and compassion. The man Castiel grew to love so deeply and who now may be lost forever.

And Castiel snaps. Seeing those lips and eyes and hair, hearing this voice say all these wrong words... It's been enough to witness Dean not being himself as a Demon and with the Mark of Cain, but now having someone else taking over the reins in this body is too much for Cas.  He screams, loud enough to not only fill the dungeon but the hallway and the rest of the bunker with his misery and despair, pleads and begs to his best friend to come back. But it doesn't help. 

Behind him, Sam and Jack watch them with tears in their eyes and holding their breath. They all seem to realize now that if they can't get to Dean, can't bring him to the surface to fight Michael, then there's hardly any chance to rescue him at all. Castiel straightens his trench-coat that hang down one shoulder after his screaming and picks up the angel blade that fell to the ground. The silvery weapon lies heavy in his hand and he flips it one time, then again and again, just how Dean's used to play with it. Memories flash before Cas eyes, colorful and vibrant, of better times, and dark times, of moments where all hope seemed to be lost, but where they always found a way to get back to each other. Is this the end now? And even though the blade in his hand looks tempting and compelling for a moment, he puts it in the inside pocket of his trench coat. Only that he notices another object there already, an item he almost forgot about.

The mixtape. Cas turns the small object in his hands a few times and carefully strokes the label, a sad smile tugging at his lips. He remembers how Dean gave it to him, sitting on the passenger seat of his truck and putting the tape in his cassette player. "You gotta have some real music when you decide to run off to your suicidal missions again," he had said as an explanation when Cas had looked at him with a frown. The music guided him through long hours and always reminded him of the home he left behind, the home he wanted to go back to, the home he sought to protect. And now it shall always remind him of the great man who made it for him.

A thought strikes the angel. He turns around to Sam and, without paying attention to his or Jack's confusion, says, "Bring me a cassette player."

The other two men share a look before Sam answers, "Cas, what are you trying to -"

"Bring me a cassette player. Now!" Castiel repeats himself. The younger Winchester nods and disappears into the hallway, returning only moments later with Dean's very own player from his room. "I really don't know what you think it can do, but -"

Castiel snatches the device out of Sam's hands, turns around to Michael, who seems to be a bit confused himself without making a comment, and sits down in the circle, cross-legged. He put the tape in, rewinds it, and presses play. "Immigrant Song" fills the air and Cas starts to talk, tells Dean everything he remembers seeing outside his truck's window when the tape was playing in an endless loop. When "Ramble On" and "Travelling Riverside Blues" comes up, he sings along, since he knows they are Dean's favorites. And he knows every single line, every single tune of every single song on the tape because they matter to the hunter and therefore, they matter to Cas. Tears are again streaming down his face but the angel doesn't blink one second and stares right into Dean's green eyes, hoping that he can hear him. With "Stairway to Heaven", after an hour of intense guitar solos and drumming sounds, the tape ends and the silence it leaves behind is just as loud as the music has been.

Everyone holds their breaths. "Dean?" Castiel asks, his voice hoarse and almost inaudible but holding so much hope. "Please. Please come back to me. Don't let me lose you like this." His lips tremble and he feels like he can't even stay conscious any longer, "We're Dean and Cas, right? We always find our way back to each other. So please. Find it now. I beg you." The emotionless expression on the face in front of him doesn't change and Cas pleads even more. "We need you, Dean. I need you." His breath hitches and he grips tightly to the armrests of the chair. "I love you," he whispers.

Cas closes his eyes. He doesn't want to look at Michael and see the cold, disgusted reaction to his confession. The angel never planned to say it, swore he would take it to his grave or stay silent for his eternal life, but the emotions overpowered him and the wish to be able to tell Dean how much he loves him let him speak. Now, Castiel is left to pray. In the silence of the dungeon, he kneels in a fiery circle, clutches to the man he loves, and prays to God and every other being in this or any other universe to help them.

Sam's intake of breath and the twitching of a hand under his fingers makes Cas look up. Dean's face is contorted in pain and effort, but it's still more beautiful than Cas ever thought. "Dean?" he asks, shy to actually believe it.

The hunter coughs and his arm twitches again, and not more than an almost invisible nod comes as an answer, but it's enough for Cas to throw his arms around the other man's neck and pull him in for a tight hug.

"Whoa, hey, Cas," Dean says, his voice only a shadow of his usually deep gravel tone, obviously strained with the exertion to hold Michael down.

"I'm here," Cas answers, pulling back a bit, "And Sam and Jack too. Dean, hey, no, stay with me." He shakes the hunter gently, who seems to have lost consciousness for a second.

"Michael, he's... he's too strong, I can't -" Dean has to stop speaking and coughs again.

Castiel shakes his head. "No, you can do it, I know it. Please, stay with me. What can I do? How can I help? Dean?"

"There's no way around it this time. Michael grows stronger and... and soon he's, urgh" the pain causes Dean to curl up and to breath heavily, "You gotta promise me, Cas... promise me that you let me go."

The angel's eyes widen. "No, no, I won't! We will find a way. You're here now, we can still win, we can fight Michael and bring you back, and -" The tears are running down his face freely now, more than they ever had in his entire existence. He will not allow anyone to kill Dean.

But Dean looks over his head and to Sam, and although no words are spoken between the brothers, they still communicate, Castiel knows it. When the hunter turns to him again, he forces a small smile on his face. "It's okay, Cas. It's the right way. And I'm fine, I..." his voice hitches again and he coughs, groaning with the pain, "I'm ready. I thought I'm ready for years now, but the truth is, I was scared, Cas, I was scared shitless. And I regret so many things I did and didn't do and..."

"Shh, it's okay, Dean, I'm here, I'm not gonna leave you," Cas tries to soothe and reassure the other man, who, after a couple of deep breaths, keeps going.

"I'm not scared anymore. After you said you... I just wish I haven't been such a coward and had..." he curls up again, "I wish we had more time. But this is necessary, Cas. You gotta let me go."

The angel shakes his head and hugs Dean again, burying his face in the crook of the other man's neck. "I do too, you know?" Dean whispers and Cas presses his eyes shut. This is not how it was supposed to end.

The sound of fire being extinguished, or Sam shouting in confusion, and then of chains being torn open lets Cas look up. Jack is right next to him, throwing the cuff that held Dean to the chair into the corner of the room. "Jack, what are you doing?"

The Nephilim indicates him to be quiet and kneels to the ground, his hands resting on both Cas' and Dean's shoulders. "I don't know if it works, it's just an idea, but..." He doesn't finish his sentence and instead, motions Sam to join them. Team Free Will kneels on the ground in the bunker's dungeon and they clutch to each other tightly while whispering or completely silently praying, pleading, begging for anything to happen. They don't even know what they're trying to do, but out of instinct, they give Jack all the power they can muster.

Later, they wouldn't be able to put into words what happened. Not even Jack knows what exactly he did, only that Castiel's words about how love is stronger than any other power inspired him, and that it worked. Everyone asked, including Mary, Charlie, and Bobby, but the only answer that ever crosses their lips would be "it's a miracle". And that indeed it was. Of course, Michael didn't die, he just got cast out of Dean's body and roamed the world as an ever deadly threat to the Winchesters, their friends and family, and the rest of humanity. But they had managed to capture a wild running archangel before, they could do it again. So, in a way, nothing really changes for them. Monsters and the next apocalypse are still waiting around the next corner, a never-ending job that asks them to put their lives at danger every other day, but for Dean and Cas, the difference is immense. And the other residents of the bunker learned pretty quickly that once a certain tape began to play, they better not open the door to Dean's room. Well, the shared room of a hunter and an angel with a more profound bond than ever before.

**Author's Note:**

> so.many.feelings. Yeah, that's basically what's behind this one-shot and considering how much frustration got put into it, it fits so very well. I hope you liked it!
> 
> kudos and comments welcome as always. And if you just wanna say hi, I'm also on [tumblr](https://riverchester.tumblr.com/)


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